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Engaging with the Nature-Based Solutions coalition for the Climate Action Summit

The UN Climate Action Summit, being convened by UN Secretary-General on 23 September 2019 provides an opportunity for redefining people’s relationship with nature. ‘Nature-Based Solutions’ can harness nature’s capacity to reduce emissions, enhance resilience, and can offer a crucial response to climate change and sustainable development at the scale and pace that is needed: To make this transformation possible, the necessary actions must be clearly identified, along with robust implementation systems and finance on an unprecedented scale. The Summit also provides an opportunity of cooperation for all of us - from government, finance, business, civil society and international organizations - to contribute to collective efforts that will tip the balance. These include reversing climate change, implementing SDGs, delivering multiple economic, social and environmental outcomes, and benefiting lives and livelihoods everywhere.

Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) in the Summit

The United Nations Secretary-General has initiated nine coalitions comprised of national governments who are joined by other stakeholders. Their remit is to undertake preparatory work for the Summit and to ensure ‘transformative outcomes, of which Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) is one. The coalitions are each preparing propositions that will be offered to world leaders at the Summit and be followed up through the UNFCCC COPs and other intergovernmental processes. It is anticipated that propositions, when implemented, will have significant and transformative impact, reflect public interest, and contribute to balanced and equitable development, taking account of economic and social considerations. Propositions will be assembled at the Climate Action Summit preparatory meeting will take place on 30 June and 1 July in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Assembling the proposition for the Nature-Based Solutions workstream

The proposition for NBS will be established in conjunction with the coalitions involved in the eight other summit workstreams. This reflects the growing recognition that NBS are critical to the work undertaken in these different workstreams. The NBS coalition is keen to have a strong proposition for NBS to establish beyond doubt the critical importance NBS and to stimulate actions in NBS for climate action. At the 30 June meeting a strong proposition is more likely to be chosen for advancement to the September Summit.The NBS coalition co-leads will be fully engaged in establishing the scope and form of the NBS proposition in the run up to this meeting and on to the Summit. After the 30 June meeting, there will be discussions about the propositions among governments whose leaders are due to participate in the Summit.

Possible thematic areas for the Nature-Based Solutions proposition

The co-leads of the NBS coalition are China and New Zealand. They envisage that the proposition on the NBS theme could include (but not be limited to) scaling up the preservation and restoration of forests, land and marine ecosystems; conservation and restoration of wetlands; comprehensive treatment of soil erosion; prevention of desertification, climate resilient infrastructure and connectivity; eco-corridors and protection of biodiversity; climate compatible agriculture and food systems; regenerating ecosystems of the ocean and natural reserve systems with national parks as the mainstay.